CSOs want an independent Labour ministry

By Ben Musanje

01^st May 2023

As Uganda joined the rest of the world today to celebrate the International Labour day, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) working on labour rights, trade, investment, land, health and development related issues have called for establishment of an independent Ministry of Labour in the country.

This was during a joint press conference hosted by SEATINI Uganda together with the National Organization of Trade Unions (NOTU), FIDA-Uganda, Action Aid International Uganda, Coalition of Human Rights Defenders, UCCA and Voices for Labour in Kampala, to express their concern over the continued violation of workers’ rights in Uganda.

Usher Wilson Owere, the President General of NOTU explains that the current Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development has got a lot of departments that have failed it’s performance especially in adequately addressing labour concerns in the country.

He says that an independent Labour Ministry should be created from the relevant department in the Ministry of Public Service, Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development and the National Social Security Fund (NSSF).

According to the CSOs, labour rights abuses experienced are mainly among the vulnerable groups like women, youth and people with disabilities and are due to glaring gaps in the labour rights policies and the administration of the existing laws.

They say that this has contributed to the rampant visualization of labour, fissured employment relationships, poor and precarious working terms and conditions, lack of adequate maternity protection, unfair dismissals, low wages, inadequate occupational safety and health and insufficient social protection.

They further say that workers’ situation is made worse and unstable as a result of the existing unfair minimum wage of Uganda Shillings of 6,000 (approximately I.61 USD), a rate which has not been reviewed since 1984.

The lack of a viable minimum wage in place has exposed workers to gross economic exploitation and income inequality according to the CSOs.

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